Europe

Wildfires force evacuation of over 200K people in France and Spain

Massive forest fires forced the evacuation of some 200,000 people in southwestern France and central Spain, with residents fleeing towns near Madrid and Bordeaux as the flames raged out of control. Firefighters and authorities in both European countries on Friday were caught off guard by the virulence of the fires, which were fuelled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change. Firefighters in Spain admitted the fires were so fast and violent that they could not be tackled head on. Some people even fled by boat when flames swept through the touristic area on France's Atlantic coast. Some 141,000 fled homes in the Gironde and Landes departments in France, the French interior ministry said. In central Spain, 60,000 were forced from their homes, according to the Spanish interior ministry. Dozens of French firefighters were injured, authorities said, but no deaths were reported in either country despite the scenes of panic as townsfolk fled by car and police went d

Updated On: 25 Jul 2026 | 8:49 AM IST

Extreme heat morphs into a major economic shock for an unprepared Europe

The region, where temperatures are rising at a pace that's roughly twice the global average, can no longer afford to ignore the economic impact of global warming

Updated On: 21 Jul 2026 | 11:03 AM IST

President Murmu departs for three-nation European tour to boost ties

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday embarked on state visits to Moldova, North Macedonia, and Romania to further relations with the three countries in a range of sectors, including trade and technology, and to boost people-to-people ties. The first leg of her tour will start with a visit to Moldova on Monday. This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian President to the Eastern European country. Murmu will meet and hold delegation-level talks with her Moldovan counterpart, President Maia Sandu. She will also meet the President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, Igor Grosu. The President is also scheduled to interact with members of the Moldova-India Parliamentary Friendship Group, address a Business Forum, and meet with members of the Indian Community. "India and Moldova enjoy warm and friendly relations. This visit would mark a significant and historical milestone and elevate bilateral ties to a broad-based partnership," a statement issued by the Ministry of External .

Updated On: 19 Jul 2026 | 9:58 AM IST

Europe's early heat wave led to spike in deaths, may have killed over 10K

Heat that hit Europe exceptionally early and hard this year appears to have led to a spike in deaths, with well over 10,000 more people dying at the height of the heat wave than would normally have been expected, according to figures that are still emerging across the continent. Measures of what researchers call "excess mortality" - the difference between the normally expected number of deaths and the actual number - spiked in late June, when parts of Europe experienced record temperatures. Experts caution that it takes a while for a full picture to emerge, and that many heat-related deaths will never formally be recorded as such. For example, a heart attack, which can be triggered by extreme heat exposure, especially in people who are older or have underlying health issues, may be listed on a death certificate simply as a heart attack. It's an alarming start to the summer. Several heat waves have killed thousands of people in the past few years in Europe. Still, 2003 stands as the

Updated On: 17 Jul 2026 | 3:59 PM IST

US Senate pushes Lindsey Graham's Russia sanctions bill after his death

Sen. Lindsey Graham's pursuit of a Russia sanctions bill has taken on renewed urgency after his death as colleagues look to pay tribute and build on the progress he made in gaining the White House's support for the measure. Supporters of Ukraine have been working for more than a year to pass a bill that would impose steep tariffs on goods from countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports. They unveiled a revised measure Tuesday with the goal of depriving Russia of money it uses to fund its war against Ukraine. Some lawmakers worried the original bill was too broad and could harm the economies of some of the US' strongest allies that have also helped Ukraine. The White House wanted to ensure the president had adequate flexibility to waive sanctions when it is the national interest to do so. The revised bill attempts to address both concerns. The final bill more narrowly applies the tariffs to the world's top five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas, according

Updated On: 15 Jul 2026 | 8:05 AM IST

Off-field divide: European football teams racially diverse but Europe isn't

White Europeans may be happy to watch foreign players from the distance of a football stadium win sporting laurels for their nations but are unlikely to welcome them elsewhere

Updated On: 13 Jul 2026 | 10:49 PM IST

News in brief: Western Europe

Here are the news in brief from defence sector as featured in Blueprint's July 2026 edition

Updated On: 10 Jul 2026 | 7:51 AM IST

US military presence in Europe will depend on Greenland, Iran: Trump

The US President said any decision on military deployments would depend on allies' response to his concerns over Greenland and support for Washington's Iran campaign, adding to unease within Nato

Updated On: 09 Jul 2026 | 9:06 AM IST

Europe's heatwave lifts demand for China's portable air conditioners

Midea could see consumer air conditioning sales in Europe grow by more than 20% Y-o-Y for 2nd quarter while Haier could record double-digit growth for its European air-conditioner segment this year

Updated On: 06 Jul 2026 | 10:25 AM IST

Europe has replaced most assets cut by US from Nato war plans: Official

Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe Sir John Stringer said that European members have replaced most of the assets cut from US contingency plans, calling it a sign of a stronger Europe within Nato

Updated On: 04 Jul 2026 | 8:42 AM IST

EU holds 'constructive' talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook after Siri AI clash

EU regulators and Apple traded barbs last month over competition rules that the US company says have stopped it ‌releasing its upgraded assistant Siri AI in ​the bloc

Updated On: 02 Jul 2026 | 10:12 AM IST

European heat wave fails to deter Indian travellers' summer holiday plans

Travel companies say demand for Europe remains resilient despite record temperatures, with many Indian tourists opting for cooler destinations within the continent rather than cancelling trips

Updated On: 02 Jul 2026 | 12:35 AM IST

Mercury rising: Fossil-fuel dependence is powering heatwaves in Europe

Europe's deadly heatwaves expose the dangers of fossil-fuel dependence, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy worldwide

Updated On: 01 Jul 2026 | 10:45 PM IST

Why Europe's heatwave has already killed 1,300 people | El Niño | France | Germany | WHO

Europe is witnessing one of the worst heatwaves in its recorded history. The ongoing heatwave has caused more than 1,300 excess deaths since June 21, according to the World Health Organization

Updated On: 01 Jul 2026 | 8:47 PM IST
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Why Indian manufacturers fear Europe's tighter rules on metal scrap exports

The EU's new waste shipment rules could make imported metal scrap harder to access. Here's why Indian manufacturers are worried and what it means for steel and aluminium

Updated On: 01 Jul 2026 | 12:24 PM IST

Why Europe's cities are struggling to cope with 40-degree heatwaves

As thousands die during European heatwaves despite advanced healthcare, doctors say buildings, urban planning, ageing populations and inadequate preparedness are turning heat into a silent killer

Updated On: 30 Jun 2026 | 11:58 AM IST

India seeks EU scrap export relief as curbs threaten trade pact gains

From May 2027, the ‌EU's revised waste shipment regulation is set to bar exports of non-hazardous waste to countries outside the OECD group of mostly developed economies

Updated On: 29 Jun 2026 | 12:01 PM IST

France records around 1,000 additional deaths amid extreme heatwave

France saw around 1,000 additional deaths last week at the height of its record-smashing heat wave, the country's public health agency said Sunday, as Europeans elsewhere were suffering through yet another day of new temperature highs that sparked wildfires in Germany and had Berlin police using water cannons to cool down the crowds. Temperature records were toppled in several countries on the weekend as the heat wave slowly moved toward eastern parts of the continent. In Germany, a new night time temperature record was reported Sunday from Kubschutz, in eastern Saxony, where the temperature did not drop below 29.4 degrees Celsius. The nightly record came only hours after a daytime record of 41.5 C in Mockern-Drewitz in Saxony-Anhalt, according to preliminary data by the German Weather Service DWD. The previous record was set a day earlier. A new study from the World Weather Attribution, a Europe-based collaboration of scientists, reported Friday that the record-breaking heat and ..

Updated On: 28 Jun 2026 | 10:05 PM IST

A historic heat wave catches Europe's fashion industry unprepared

As a historic heat wave gripped Paris this week, fashion houses tried to keep their guests cool with ice packs, mist machines and iced Evian on silver platters. It wasn't enough: some venues still sweltered, water ran short and air conditioning was absent or inadequate. Then they sent their models down the runway in leather, neoprene and wool. That was the contradiction at Paris Fashion Week Men's, where a heat wave turned spring-summer fashion into a test of whether luxury can dress - or act - for the warming world it claims to address. "I honestly thought I was going to pass out," said Ben Freeman, a London-based fashion critic from Australia. Some in the front row said Paris may have to consider moving fashion week away from the height of summer if climate change keeps bringing more frequent and intense heat waves. "I don't know how the models did it this week in some of the leather and knit coats," said fashion student Thomas Levy, 24, outside one show. "The heat rarely seem

Updated On: 26 Jun 2026 | 10:37 PM IST

Chinese cars account for over 10% of new vehicle sales in Europe in May

Hybrid and plug-in hybrids like the MG S9 sport utility vehicle helped Chinese automakers take 11% of European sales in May, according to analysts

Updated On: 26 Jun 2026 | 1:01 PM IST